Computer system components, such as central processing units (CPUs), chipset, graphics cards, and hard drives, produce large amounts of heat during operation. This heat must be dissipated in order to keep these components within safe operating temperatures. Overheated components generally exhibit a shorter life-span and may also cause malfunction of the computer system.
The risk of overheating increases with increasing density of computer system components. In a typical blade server, a large number of heat generating blades may be closely placed in a single system enclosure. Limited open space in the system enclosure results in reduced air circulation and correspondingly reduced heat dissipation.